Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

cal04

(41,505 posts)
Fri Sep 11, 2015, 04:29 PM Sep 2015

Bernie Sanders To Chris Hayes: "Don't Become An Inside The Beltway Pundit" (video)

BERNIE SANDERS: All of my ideas, I knew in my heart were going to resonate with the American people, but I did not believe they would resonate quite so fast.

CHRIS HAYES: But do they resonate with the American people or with a very small subsection of the Democratic party? Who are liberals and they love Bernie Sanders and they're watching us right now? Or does this appeal more broadly?

BERNIE SANDERS: Oh Chris! Don't become an inside-the-beltway pundit.

CHRIS HAYES: You know it is partly tongue in cheek!

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/09/11/bernie_sanders_to_chris_hayes_dont_become_an_inside_the_beltway_pundit.html


2:00 min
great interview with Chris.
Bernie Sanders Interview: Americans 'Don't Want More Establishment Politics'

Chris Hayes talks to Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., about why the new poll numbers surprised him and why he won't repeat what he calls Obama's "biggest political mistake."
» Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc
9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Bernie Sanders To Chris Hayes: "Don't Become An Inside The Beltway Pundit" (video) (Original Post) cal04 Sep 2015 OP
I don't think Chris will keep his job unless he's an insider. jalan48 Sep 2015 #1
It's nice to see Chris take a break from his Trumpfest to give Bernie some coverage. smokey nj Sep 2015 #2
It was a good interview. SoapBox Sep 2015 #3
Thanks for the video! leftcoastmountains Sep 2015 #4
Wow, that was hilarious dreamnightwind Sep 2015 #5
Your comment gives me hope. Someone very close to me has decided to support Clinton because, Stardust Sep 2015 #6
Thanks, it is easy give in to cynicism dreamnightwind Sep 2015 #7
Yes, I did watch the clip. Chris demonstrated some knowledge about Bernie that I was not fully Stardust Sep 2015 #8
Yes to the torn part dreamnightwind Sep 2015 #9

SoapBox

(18,791 posts)
3. It was a good interview.
Fri Sep 11, 2015, 04:44 PM
Sep 2015

Like others, I have wondered if we will see a change in his Bernie coverage after such a good session.

I thought Comcast cancelled his show.

dreamnightwind

(4,775 posts)
5. Wow, that was hilarious
Fri Sep 11, 2015, 06:44 PM
Sep 2015

It's been very sad to me over the last few years to watch Chris growing more and more into an inside the beltway pundit (edit to add I used to find him capable of insightful analysis, with a razor-sharp eye for seeing what was wrong with something, now I see him more as a useful tool to provide a safe tokenized leftish viewpoint that gives undue credibility to the general media dreck without being allowed to challenge it). Then later in the interview (5:45 into it), Chris talks about the forces that act on him in exactly that direction. Chris says he discovered there are all kinds of institutional incentives that pull him as a journalist, basically away from his lefty roots.

This was a wonderful exchange between him and Bernie, and yet another example of how, when an honest candidate makes a run, it changes what gets talked about, and people look at other things, not directly related to that candidate, in different ways.

A feeling I often have about how much we lose when we just give in to centrist cynicism as "the best we can do", or "even if he gets elected, what can he accomplish with this congressional context". You can change a lot, just by showing up and being real about things, by fighting on the right side of issues, it really makes a difference. When giving in to centrist cynism, what happens is the other side (the corporate side or the RW side, depending on the context, and sometimes they are the same) gets validated when it should instead be ridiculed and fought on principle. Because, in so many ways, seen and unseen, it makes a difference.

Stardust

(3,894 posts)
6. Your comment gives me hope. Someone very close to me has decided to support Clinton because,
Fri Sep 11, 2015, 08:46 PM
Sep 2015

they feel she will get more accomplished with this congress. But your statement,

"A feeling I often have about how much we lose when we just give in to centrist cynicism as "the best we can do", or "even if he gets elected, what can he accomplish with this congressional context". You can change a lot, just by showing up and being real about things, by fighting on the right side of issues, it really makes a difference. When giving in to centrist cynism, what happens is the other side (the corporate side or the RW side, depending on the context, and sometimes they are the same) gets validated when it should instead be ridiculed and fought on principle. Because, in so many ways, seen and unseen, it makes a difference"


gives me some assurance that I'm not some naive lefty with irrelevant ideals.

I do wish Bernie would be more specific when he says the American people need to mobilize, give people some specifics that they can rest their hats on, so to speak. Knowing Bernie, he will begin to elucidate his ideas on how we can effect the changes we desperately need in due time.

dreamnightwind

(4,775 posts)
7. Thanks, it is easy give in to cynicism
Fri Sep 11, 2015, 09:57 PM
Sep 2015

I'm as cynical as anyone, doesn't mean there is no value in fighting to make things better though. Many of the gains from fighting for the right thing are at first unseen, and bear fruit later.

I hate to think of the things Hillary would accomplish with congress, the issues they could agree on are not ones I would want to see enacted, they would be the ones their donors want, IMO.

Did you watch the clip in the OP? Chris goes over examples re how Bernie actually knows how to work with opponents and get things done that still serve the interests of the people. His issues aren't driven by what his large corporate donors want, since he doesn't have any, and he manages to find ways to actually get amendments passed that help people (such as he got funding for community health clinics added the Obamacare as a condition of supporting the legislation).

Re your last paragraph, I think Bernie is just too polite to say that Obama used the grassroots to get elected, then abandoned them once in office, so instead Bernie says he would be different than Obama by staying connected to his mobilized electoral base to drive change. It will of course be difficult, in the first place to get Bernie elected, and in the second place to support him once elected. I doubt he has specific plans for that activism, but I don't doubt that he will use any tools at his disposal, one of the main ones of which is us, to push for change once he is in office.

Stardust

(3,894 posts)
8. Yes, I did watch the clip. Chris demonstrated some knowledge about Bernie that I was not fully
Sat Sep 12, 2015, 02:24 AM
Sep 2015

aware of, and I've been a follower since he began his Brunch With Bernie on Thom Hatmann's show years ago. Chris seems a bit torn, like his left roots make him want to support Bernie, but he's being inexorably influenced by his corporate masters.

dreamnightwind

(4,775 posts)
9. Yes to the torn part
Sat Sep 12, 2015, 05:47 AM
Sep 2015

I think to some extent Chris has been converted more towards centrism, he's still better than most.

I watch the brunch with bernie all the time too, love it.

Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»Bernie Sanders»Bernie Sanders To Chris H...